Cartooning Consumption: The Power of Mascots in the Plant-Based Consumer Sustainable Behavior

Dávid Takács, Ingrida Košičiarová (), Zdenka Kádeková and Adriana Mateášiková ()
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Dávid Takács: Institute of Marketing, Trade and Social Studies, Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
Ingrida Košičiarová: Institute of Marketing, Trade and Social Studies, Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
Zdenka Kádeková: Institute of Marketing, Trade and Social Studies, Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
Adriana Mateášiková: Institute of Marketing, Trade and Social Studies, Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-20

Abstract: In the context of growing interest in sustainable plant-based alternatives and sustainable eating, this study focused on the impact of visual elements of packaging design—specifically the presence of mascots—on consumer sustainable decision-making when choosing plant-based food products. The quantitative research, conducted through an online questionnaire, consists of four parts: the evaluation of the visual attractiveness of authentic brands of plant-based products; the identification of key factors influencing consumers’ choices when purchasing plant-based foods; the selection between graphic packaging designs featuring different types of mascots; and the assessment of the perceived importance of mascots in dietary habits. The collected data allows an analysis of how much mascots influence consumer sustainable preferences and willingness to try plant-based products. The findings suggest that mascots may be an effective tool in shaping positive perceptions of plant-based food and strengthening brand trust within sustainable concepts. The results offer practical implications for marketing strategies of producers of plant-based alternatives and highlight the potential of visual communication to promote sustainable consumption. This study contributes to understanding how packaging design affects consumer sustainable behavior in the plant-based food sector, with a focus on mascots as a previously underexplored visual element.

Keywords: plant-based alternatives; consumer sustainable behavior; packaging design; mascots; visual marketing; sustainable consumption; food branding; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:5865-:d:1687684

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